Hair Iron

ABSTRACT

A hair iron for straightening hair has a pair of tong blades. An upper and lower barrel of varying cross section with a solid ceramic core is enveloped in a metal jacket. Handles join tong blades and handle sleeves are mounted on the handles for free one-handed rotation.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to hair curling irons used to curl orstraighten women's hair.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ARTS

Since the early 1920's, hair curling irons have been used to createvarious styles of hair curls or to straighten women's hair. The curlingirons have been typically heated, either by electricity or by the use ofovens.

If curling irons are excessively hot, they will often damage hair andmay injure users who accidentally place the heated region too near theirskin. It has been discovered that human hair is well absorbent toinfrared radiation in the range of 5 to 10. mu.m. Inventor Takimae inU.S. Pat. No. 4,740,669 points to ceramic materials like zirconiamagnetite and alumina as being well adapted to radiating infraredradiation in this range. As a result, Inventor Takimae created a curlingiron using ceramics on the outer surface of the curling iron rod.Unfortunately, the electrical heating element must be carefullyregulated to avoid burning hair. A variety of under heated or overheated electrical heating methods has eroded consumer confidence incertain electrically heated curling irons. Takimae's curling iron isheated using an electrical resistance core.

Inventor Mack in U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,143, shows a mechanism in whichinfrared radiation is emitted and temperature is minimized. Ceramics arenot used in this mechanism. Inventor Mack's curling iron is also heatedusing electrical means.

Oven-heated curling irons are typically comprised of a pair of irontongs hence the name ‘hair iron’. Inventor McGee in U.S. Pat. No.5,957,140 shows an oven-heated iron combining the features of being ableto straighten and curl the hair. The pair of tongs is composed of metal.Inventor McGee mentions the concern of the metal iron being too heavyand causing fatigue for stylists.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, present invention has several objects and advantages.

1. Enclosed wrapping of the ceramic core with a metal casingdifferentiates this product with conventional iron tools currently onthe market.

2. The heat trapping effect design allows ceramic core to retain heatlonger than the opened metal casing, allowing the user to use thepresent invention longer without having to re-heat so.

3. Heat is evenly and predictably distributed on the heating surfacewhen ceramic compound touches all heating surface. Since the ceramiccompound retain heat longer than metal, having constant contact withmetal surface prevents hot spots on the heating surface. Hot spots occurwhen certain areas cool faster than other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the first embodiment

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the first embodiment

FIG. 3 a is a front view of the first embodiment

FIG. 3 b is a rear view of the first embodiment

FIG. 3 c is a cross sectional view of a barrel portion of the firstembodiment

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the second embodiment

FIG. 5 is a side view of the second embodiment

FIG. 5 a is a front view of the second embodiment

FIG. 5 b is a rear view of the second embodiment

FIG. 5 c is a cross sectional view of the single barrel of the secondembodiment

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the third embodiment

FIG. 7 is a side view of the third embodiment

FIG. 7 a is a front view of the third embodiment

FIG. 7 b is a rear view of the third embodiment

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the fourth embodiment

FIG. 9 is a side view of the fourth embodiment

FIG. 9 a is a front view of the fourth embodiment

FIG. 9 b is a rear view of the fourth embodiment

FIG. 9 c is a cross sectional view of the double barrel of the fourthembodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to ceramic filled oven heated ironslacking electrical core heating elements. Ceramic cores retain heat andare protected by a metal jacket. The ceramic core allows transfer ofheat to the surrounding hair.

The first embodiment as seen in figure one shows the hair iron 110having an upper handle sleeve 145 and a lower handle sleeve 150enveloping a pair of handles 140 and pivotally cooperating at a pivotjunction 135 also called the clip assembly point. The clip extensionprotrudes from the clip assembly 135 and terminates in a pair ofbarrels. The upper barrel 120 is parallel to a lower barrel 125 andforms a pair of tong blades 115.

A pair of tong blades include a first tong blade and a second tong bladethe upper barrel may have a semicircular cross section comprising aceramic core enveloped in a metal jacket mounted on the first tongblade. The lower barrel may have a semicircular cross section comprisinga ceramic core enveloped in a metal jacket mounted on the second tongblade. The upper and lower barrels meet to form an interface for holdinghair to be straightened, while an upper handle and a lower handle form apair of handles. The clip assembly pivotally joins the pair of handlesto the pair of tong blades, so that the first tong blade and upperbarrel is integrally formed with the lower handle, and the second tongblade and lower barrel is integrally formed with the upper handle.

The pair of tong blades receives a person's hair strands in a flatconfiguration where the hair between the blades can be pressed straight.The blades may be used for straightening hair. The handles and thehandles sleeves allow a user to twirl the pair of blades 115 and changeposition with one hand only or wrap the hair around the outsidecircumference of the barrel portion 220 and 230 shown in FIG. 3 a. Theheat stored in the ceramic core material 430 transfer to the hair. Ametal sheath 420 envelops the ceramic core material 430 and offersprotection for the ceramic.

The first embodiment shows a “straightener” or a “flat iron.” A flatiron is normally used to straighten and flatten hair. Those with curlyor wavy hair and those who want to smooth out their ends would could usethe invention as shown in the first embodiment. To use this tool, theuser must maintain a strand of hair between the flat areas of the tooland slowly drag downward from the roots to the ends. The flat iron inthe first embodiment would not be ideal to curl hair because theflatness in the middle and the curved surface of the tool will leave anangular crease if applied to the hair for a long period of time.

A second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 includes a single barrel 440cooperating with a lower blade. The lower blade is curved and formed ofrigid metal planar material and does not contain ceramic heat emittingmaterial. The barrel holds a strand of hair and can curl hair wrappedaround the outside circumference of the barrel. The cross sectional viewshown in FIG. 5 provides a curved hair travel path. The ceramic materialshown in FIG. 5C has a large cross section and is thus capable ofretaining a substantial amount of heat.

The second embodiment shows what is typically referred to as a “curlingiron.” Not only does the second embodiment allow a user with straighthair waves and curls, it also provides volume for those with finer hair.The size of the cylinder that makes up this tool is crucial; the largerthe circumference of the cylinder, the larger the curls become. Thecurling iron with the larger cylindrical circumference produces biggerwaves, while the curling iron with the smaller cylindrical circumferenceproduces tighter curls and eventually achieves a spiral effect. To usethe second embodiment, the user must maintain a strand of hair betweenthe clip and the cylinder and use upward rolling motions, in which thecurling starts from the ends to the roots.

A third embodiment of the present invention includes the device shown infigure six and seven. The lack of a ceramic core in the upper and lowerblade allow a user to cool hair, or present limited heat for hair. Asseen in the cross sectional view of FIG. 7. The upper blade fits intothe lower blade forming a curved path for hair. The curved path isuseful in a variety of cosmetology implementations.

The third embodiment in FIG. 7 represents a tool that can serve as botha curling and straightening device. Since using the curling iron mayimproperly create angular creases at its ends, this tool is useful tosmooth creases while leaving a curly accent to the ends. The thirdembodiment of the invention can also be used after blow-drying to smoothhair, similar to the effects of the flat iron, of the first embodiment.The crescent design of this tool however, will leave a slight waverather than dull and straight ends. This tool can also be used to flip auser's hair outwards. This would be a popular tool amongst users withshort hair because the crescent design of this tool is ideal to graspshort strands of hair.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in figure eightand nine. A double barrel upper barrel portion cooperates with a doublelower barrel portion whereby the upper barrel portion forms a wavepattern with the lower barrel portion. The wave pattern allows a user tocreate wavy patterns in hair.

The fourth embodiment is a “crimper.” Here the user must maintainstrands of hair between the two cylinders and the bottom plate and applypressure to one section at a time. The fourth embodiment cannot be usedwith continuous rolling motions; this will end up pulling the user'shair and result in undesired creases in the users' hair. This toolleaves the hair wavy. The fourth embodiment cannot produce spiraleffects as Embodiment 2 can because this tool merely serves as a curvedpattern that needs to be compressed onto one section of a strand of hairat a time.

The hair iron has an upper handle sleeve FIG. 4, 140 mounted androtatably free on the upper handle 210. The upper handle has a circularuniform cross section receiving the upper handle sleeve. The upperhandle sleeve has an annular uniform cross-section, and the upper handlesleeve may rotate about the upper handle. The upper handle sleeve axisof rotation parallels the central axis of the upper handle.

The lower handle sleeve 150 is mounted and rotatably free on the lowerhandle 140. The lower handle has a circular uniform cross sectionreceiving the lower handle sleeve. The lower handle sleeve has anannular uniform cross-section. The lower handle sleeve may rotate aboutthe lower handle and the lower handle sleeve axis of rotation parallelsthe central axis of the lower handle.

The foregoing describes the preferred embodiments of the invention.Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as set forth in the following claims.

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 8. A hair iron for styling hair comprising: apair of tong blades, a first tong blade and a second tong blade; a pairof upper barrels, each barrel having a circular cross section comprisinga ceramic core enveloped in a metal jacket and mounted on the first tongblade and a lower jacket mounted on the second tong blade shaped with apair of channels to receive the upper barrel, wherein the upper barreland lower blade meet to form a wavy interface for holding hair to bestraightened; an upper handle and a lower handle forming a pair ofhandles; a clip assembly pivotally joining the pair of handles to thepair of tong blades, wherein the first tong blade and pair of upperbarrels is integrally formed with the lower handle, wherein the secondtong blade and lower jacket including the pair of channels is integrallyformed with the upper handle.
 9. The hair iron of claim 8 furthercomprising: an upper handle sleeve mounted and rotatably free on theupper handle, wherein the upper handle has a circular uniform crosssection receiving the upper handle sleeve; wherein the upper handlesleeve has an annular uniform cross-section, wherein the upper handlesleeve may rotate about the upper handle, wherein the upper handlesleeve axis oI rotation parallels the central axis of the upper handle;further comprising a lower handle sleeve mounted and rotatably free onthe lower handle, wherein the lower handle has a circular uniform crosssection receiving the lower handle sleeve; wherein the lower handlesleeve has an annular uniform cross-section, wherein the lower handlesleeve may rotate about the lower handle, wherein the lower handlesleeve axis of rotation parallels the central axis of the lower handle.10. The hair iron of claim 8 wherein the ceramic core is solid.